VNP43D31: VIIRS NIR BRDF Isotropic Parameter for Global Climate Models

NASA/NOAA's Suomi NPP VIIRS VNP43D31 product provides the Bidirectional Reflectance Distribution Function (BRDF) isotropic parameter for the near-infrared broadband (0.865 μm). It is produced daily at a 30 arc-second (1,000 meter) global resolution using a 16-day temporal composite weighted to the ninth day. This single-layer data file is part of a larger suite designed for climate simulation models within a Climate Modeling Grid (CMG).

Use Cases

• Deriving land surface albedo for the NIR broadband using the isotropic, volumetric, and geometric BRDF model parameters.
• Inputting pre-processed, temporally smoothed surface reflectance data into global climate simulation models.
• Analyzing surface anisotropy and radiative properties over a 16-day composite period for change detection.
• Calibrating or validating other satellite-derived albedo products using the documented VIIRS algorithm.

Strengths

• Provides global coverage at a consistent 30 arc-second (1,000m) Climate Modeling Grid resolution.
• Based on a daily production cycle using a 16-day composite to reduce noise and fill gaps.
• Algorithm benefits from stated improvements including better calibration coefficients and geolocation accuracy for the entire Suomi NPP mission.

Limitations

• Metadata completeness is low: specific column names, row counts, and file sizes are not provided on any platform.
• Each product file contains only one data layer, requiring multiple files (VNP43D01-VNP43D39) for a complete BRDF model analysis.
• Users must refer to external resources for full documentation of known data quality issues.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

Collection Method

Satellite remote sensing data from the Suomi NPP Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS), processed through the VNP43 algorithm.

Time Range

Covers the operational period of the Suomi NPP mission; data is produced daily.

Freshness

2026-04-09 (from datagov platform)

Geography

Global